What kinds of clothing did Navajo Native Americans wear?

A:

Quick Answer

Navajo Native Americans wore two-piece aprons, breechcloths, animal skins, deerskin shirts and moccasins. The clothing evolved over time from the primitive clothing of the ancient Navajo to the more elaborate clothing worn during the 1800s and 1900s.

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Ancient Navajos wore clothes made primarily from animal hides, cedar bark and yucca fiber. Women usually wove the yucca fiber into two-piece aprons or wore deerskin shirts and skirts, while the men wore leggings made from yucca fiber, shirts made from deerskin, and moccasins. Sometimes the clothing only consisted of breechcloth, a type of loincloth tied around the waist, for the men and yucca blankets that the women wrapped around themselves. The moccasins usually consisted of rawhide soles and deerskin.

Later Navajo Native Americans traded in deerskin and yucca clothing for cotton or velvet shirts that they wore without collars and sleeves. The men also started wearing breeches. The women started wearing woolen or cotton skirts, shirts and dresses, often with a sash or concha belt around the waist. Both men and women wore cloaks made from animal fur during the winter.

The Navajo Native Americans originally lived in the New Mexico area, but now live in the 27,000 square mile Four Corners region where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado meet.